Listen, if there is a dufus here, it's me. I accidentally locked the other thread when I was posting using my dumb phone instead of on a real computer with a real key pad. The other thread is now UNLOCKED.

Getting back to the question at hand about the special plays. Here is how I view the use of special plays.

1. Mathematically they are not the "correct" play in any video poker game for those who play the conventional method.
2. While they might not increase your chance to go home a winner if you play conventionally, some of the plays will allow you to make a certain win that is "good enough."
3. The "good enough win" while not the "optimum win or play" might allow you to reach a win goal so you can stop playing.

An example is holding and dropping the full house in 3 aces in 7/5 bonus: if you hit the fourth ace the 400 credits might allow you to go home with your win goal met as opposed to being sure to pocket the 35 coins from a full house.

Another example is holding three aces and dropping a kicker in TDB: if you hit the fourth ace for the 800 coin payoff you might be reaching your win goal, and dropping the kicker gives you two chances to hit the fourth ace. If you hold the kicker you only have one shot at the fourth ace. The trade off is the "kicker" which represents a possible 4,000 coin win. I offer this analogy for this special play: a bird at your fingertips is worth a dozen in the bush.